In general, when a caller calls another through an existing mobile communication network, a terminating exchanger of the called subscriber provides the caller with a uniform ringback tone. Since the ringback tone is the same all the time, the caller cannot identify the called individual before the called individual answers. Furthermore, the uniform ringback tone cannot satisfy various subscribers' needs to reveal their individuality.
A method was proposed to send various ad sound messages to a caller instead of such uniform ringback tone. However, such an ad sound message is chosen unilaterally by a network operating enterprise. If a caller heard such a unilateral ad sound, he could talk over a mobile telephone with the called individual for a limited time for free. However, the method in which the ad sound is provided instead of the conventional ringback tone still has the aforementioned drawbacks. That is, a caller cannot identify a called individual before the called individual answers and the uniform ringback tone cannot satisfy various subscribers' needs to reveal their individuality.
In Korean Patent Application No. 2000-10006 dated Feb. 25, 2002, the applicant of the present application had disclosed a method and apparatus for providing a subscriber-based ringback tone service. This application provides a caller with a specific sound registered or chosen by a called subscriber instead of a conventional ringback tone, whereby a sound replacing the ringback tone which fits to the called subscriber's character can be provided with the caller while the caller can identify a called individual before the called individual answers, and the caller can determine the existence of a wrong connection before a called individual makes a response.
However, although the conventional art has an advantage in that the individuality of the called subscriber can be revealed by providing the caller with a replacement sound such as music instead of the ringback tone, it has a problem in that a caller cannot determine a wrong connection only by the ringback tone replacement sound of the called subscriber. In addition, the called subscriber cannot send the caller the information which the called subscriber designates to be sent, since a common sound resource is used for the replacement sound so other subscribers can use the identical replacement sound.